Fate
by Lock Owl
Summary: A short scene between Aragorn and his brother after Elrond tells him who he truly is. Elrohir's POV


Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any characters and/or places thereof  
  
Author's Note: I have no idea where this came from, I just sat down and wrote it.  
  
*****  
  
"Estel?" I was surprised, and more than a little worried. My brother was on his knees in the gardens, behind a rose bush, throwing up. "Are you all right?" I asked, kneeling beside him and holding back Aragorn's hair as the Man was sick. He had done this once before, the first time Estel saw battle with orcs. He was sick then, too, and I had held his hair until his stomach was empty.  
  
"Elrohir," Aragorn croaked, his voice hardly more than a whisper, as he raised his head to meet my gaze. He looked so young, I thought, his eyes begging me to make everything better, although he knew that I could not. What was wrong? "A--Lord Elrond told me. . ." he searched. What had Elrond told him, anyway? "everything."  
  
"Everything?" I asked. "What did he tell you, Estel?"  
  
"Aragorn," replied Estel. "My name is Aragorn." He collapsed, sobbing, into my arms. "My name," he repeated, "my name is--" but he could not go on. It hurt too much and too deeply. I had held my brother many times before, but this time it was different. To me he had always been a boy, and felt that way, but he was a man now, and that was how it felt: I could feel his muscles convulse beneath his shirt, and it struck me for the first time how deep his voice was. And when he clung to me, it was with the strength of a man, not the need of a child.  
  
At long last he drew away, rubbing away his tears with the back of his wrists. We had only been in Imladris for about an hour. Elladan, Estel, and I had been away, tracking a band of orcs along the Great East Road. When we rode in we were met by Glorfindel, an old friend, who carried the message that Estel was wanted in our father's study. That must have been when he told him, and it was no surprise he was upset.  
  
"I always knew," he said. "Of course I always knew that Lord Elrond was not really my ada--my father, but I never thought he would be quite so blunt. Oh, Elrohir, I could hardly stand it. I felt as though he was severing all ties to me, telling me to leave, and this my home! What am I going to do?"  
  
"One thing I can tell you for certain is that this is still your home," I told him. "You are always welcome."  
  
"But what am I going to do? I am a leader now. What--how can I? I am only a child still, you know this."  
  
"You are not a child. Look at yourself, Aragorn! Look at who you have become, who you are. Anyone would be proud of that. I am proud of you. Elladan is proud of you." As I told him this he slowly dropped his gaze and turned his head away. "Hey." I placed my hand against his cheek, forcing him to meet my eyes. "Ada is proud of you."  
  
Aragorn swallowed visibly. I knew it was more tears that he tried to keep down. When he spoke again, he said, "He is not Ada now, Elrohir. He is Lord Elrond."  
  
"He is Ada," I argued, "and you are my little brother, the leader of the Men of Middle-earth."  
  
"That is exactly what I am afraid of," he told me. "So much depends on me. I have to make a decision that. . .a decision that affects not only my future, but that of all Middle-earth. The future of the world of Men is on my shoulders now, a half-grown boy."  
  
"In the world of Men you were an adult long ago." I rested my hands on his shoulders and said, not knowing what else to tell him, "You will always have your family. Never forget that. Family is not by blood. Family is the people that make us who we are. You will always be a part of this family. And when the time comes for you to make those very important decisions, we will stand behind you whatever you decide."  
  
*****  
  
I kept my promise. And as the salty wind blows against me now I look back, and I do not regret one decision Estel ever made. He is my brother, and always I shall think of him this way. The man he became is a man any brother would be proud of, and as far as I could see a man any father would be proud of. I hope Estel knows this, I really do, because he deserves it. So if you ever meet up with him, ever see my brother, tell him we love him, all right? Tell him we're all really proud of him.  
  
Thanks. 


End file.
